Odometer



June 9, 1931. DE W|TT TAPPAN 1,8Q,l 5,1

ODOMETER Filed Jan. 12.l 1928 5: Dvua/ 35 Fig. 5.

Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED #STATES PATENT ePrice DEWITT TAPPAN, 0F ROCHESTER, NLJV YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MISNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0

NORTH EAST APPLIANCE CGR-PORATION, OF ROCHESTER, 'NEW YORK, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW YORK ODOMETER Application filed January 12, 1928. Serial No. 248,344.

i101 struction of the drum on Which the number rings revolve, in such a manner as to simplify and cheaper the construction and facilitate the assembling of the odometer.

To the foregoing end the invention resides flf in an odometer in which the drum consists of a generally cylindrical tubular sheet-metal member, associated with heads of suitable form, and in which other novel and useful features of construction are embodied, as

20 hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal View, chiefly in section, of an odometer embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of one of the heads of the drum; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the driving gear; Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the first or driven number ring; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the body of the drum.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in an odometer in which the body 6 of the drum consists of a piece of suitable sheet metal, curved into the general form of a cylinder, but with a Wide slot in one side, as shown in Associated with this sheet metal body are two heads 7 and 8, which are preferably made by a die-casting operation. Each head is provided with a slot 9, of suitable form to receive one end of the body 6, a iange o 10 lying just Within the slot 9, a central opening 11 to receive a tie rod, and an off-center opening 12 to receive one end'of'the pinion shaft. In the case of the head 7, the opening 12 is surrounded by an inwardly project- 45 ing boss 13.

Any required number of number rings 14 may be mounted upon the drum, and these rings, with the exception of the first or driven ring, are of ordinary form and are interconnected by transfer pinions 15, also of ordinary form.` The pinions turn upon a pinion shaft 26, mounted in the appropriate openings in the heads. Preferably, the pinion shaft is made a tight or press fit in the boss 13 of the head i", and is arranged to project slightly outside the head, as shown in Fig. 1. The pinlon shaft may be fitted loosely in the head 8, to fac ate assembling the odometer.

The drum and number-ring assembly is adapted to be mounted upon and between members 16 and 1T of the frame of the instrument. This frame is not further illustrated, as it may be of any ordinary or suitable form. For the purpose of securing the odometer assembly in the frame, and for the further purpose of holding the several members of the drum in suitabie relation, a tie rod 18 is used, which passes centrally through the drum and is provided, at its right-hand end, with an enlarged head 1970iz cylindrical ferm. The l left-hand end of the tie rod is threaded, as shown in Fig. 1, into an opening in the frame member 16. rIhe head 19 fits loosely in an opening in the frame member 17. When this tie rod is screwed home, the head of the tie rod presses against the head S of the drum, and thus clamps the drum members tightly against each other and against the frame member 16. The projecting end of the pinion shaft 26 seats in a suitable recess in the frame member 1G, and thus serves to prevent any rotative movement of the drum with respect to the frame.

In addition to its functions of securing the drum members together and of supporting the odometer in the frame, the tie rod provides a bearing for a drive gear through which the odometer is actuated. This gear 22 turns upon the head 19 of the tie rod, be-

tween the frame member 17 and the drum through the transfer pinions in the usual .mannen It will be evident that the entire odometer assenibl with the exception of the tie rod, may be put together with great facility, and introduced between the frame members 16 and'l?, and theV tie rod may then be put in place, thus securing all the parts firmly in prop-er position. The body of the drum is made originally of such diameter as to spring out against'the outer wall of the slot 9, so that its eiective diameter is accurately determinedl The iange 10 assists in engaging the body with the slot, since it acts as a pilot against which the sheet metal may be pressed in contracting it to thediameter of the slot prior to its'introduction.

The invention claimed is:

l. In an odometer provided with number rings and internal transfer pinions, a drum, on which the rings revolve, comprising a cylindrical, longitudinally slotted sheet-metal body, two heads engaging the ends of said body andV each providedk with a cireularly curved slot corresponding in diameter and extent with, and receiving, the corresponding end of the body so as to confine the latter in all directions against lateral movement or distortion, and means for drawing the heads tightly against the body. Y

2. In anodo'meter of the type comprising 'number rings, internal transiter pinions, and

a drum upon which the rings revolve,'the combination, with ,two frame members having aligning perforations, of a tie-rod threaded into one of said perforations and having an Aenlarged head loosely engaging the other ing against that frame member into which the tie-rod is threaded, andV the other head, being engaged by the head of the tie-rod so that the drum members may be clamped together byk screwing the tie-rod into the thread-V ed peroratiom 3. The combination set forth in claim 2, in combination, further, with a drive member Y rotatably mounted on the head of the tie-rod on the drum. I

4. The invention definedby between the adjacent drum head and frame member and operatively connected in driving relation with the adjacent number ring last-named means comprising a tie rod coaxial Y Y with and Within said body and extending be- GOv yondone of said heads whereby a drive gear may be rotatably assembled on said tie rodV eitension ordriving the adjacent number rind; l

4The invention defined by claim 1, said last-'named means comprising a tie rod coaxial with and within said'rbody, said tie nected to an adjacent number ring on the l drum. y

, 'niiwiTrfrArrAN perforation, and the drum mounted upon the V claimV l, said y rio 

